When divorcing in Texas, many times, one spouse will be required by the court to pay spousal support, or maintenance, to the other person involved. If you have been a stay-at-home parent or have been the parent who did the most “at-home” work in the marriage, you may be entitled to receive spousal support.
The law of Texas says that this can be an ongoing situation or the court can choose to give you enough support over time to gain employment skills and get a job to support yourself. In any case, you will want to engage a legal professional who can help guide you through this process.
You can actually work these details out before you get to court, as long as it is documented well and both of you agree to have the elements of the spousal support decided upon. Often, the divorce can be contentious and will need to be brought before the court for the judge to decide what, if any, spousal support is going to be granted.
In order to get spousal maintenance payments, you need to be totally upfront with what you own and what you owe. Your spouse must also provide this information and it would behoove you to know these details for yourself. It isn’t uncommon for both parties to know what the other owns and owes. Is your property yours? Did you own it before the marriage? Did you inherit it? This is important to document because it can mean the difference between you getting spousal support and having to make it on your own without it.
An attorney experienced in Texas family law may be a good choice to seek advice from. This person can assist you with the intricate details that must be provided in order for you to get spousal support in a divorce.
Source: Texas Statutes, “Texas family code” accessed Mar. 10, 2015
